[Naboo]Learning something new: Telekinetics (Axius)

[Kyle Krogen]

Kyle Krogen, Jedi Knight and head of the Naboo Jedi Academy, made his way through the mildew stinking halls of the old monastery-like structure that had become the Temple of the Jedi Academy. The building was nearly completely constructed of stone and had little in other means of structure. Kyle could not even tell what was holding the building together. He could not see any mud in the cracks so it was possible that the structure was based upon the weight of the stone stacked upon the first. It was a bit scary to walk through the temple with that knowledge. You always fun yourself examining the stonework for any breaks or cracks that could result in a collapse, and your death.

But death was not the point of his activities today. Rather something completely different. He had two youngs birds under his wings and both needed serious training before they would be ready to leave the temple and re-enter the world. The Force was strong in them, but very untaimed. It took the guiding hand of a teacher to form the pupil from a blunt rod into a sharp blade.

Today Kyle would be teaching Axius, the green skinned and tendrilled young man who he had picked up on Coruscant along with the others. He would like to teach them all, but he could only teach them one at a time. Axius showed the most promise and Kyle decided he'd start with him before moving on to teach the others.

So there he was, walking into the main chamber of the temple. By all appearences it had been used for ritual sacrifices. A large sacrifical stone had stood on a podium in the center of the room, caked in the blood of thousands slay upon it's surface. The stone had been removed and the blood cleaning up. Now the podium, a rough circle ten feet in diameter, stood alone and empty in the center of the room. Kyle walked over to this podium and took a seat on the ground, sitting crossed legged and resting his hands loosely on his lap.

He closed his eyes and concentrated. He located the mind of Axius and send a simple telepathic message; [i]Meet me in the main chamber.[/b]

[Axius Keldara]

Axius had been working on his garden all morning: Planting, trimming, watering, removing unwanted weeds, and really, just easing his mind. Things had been rather difficult here on Naboo, with not having a lot of things to do as well as trying to get the Temple up and running. But eventually Axius found time to build his garden. If you were to walk north of the main chamber or the Council Room as they all had agreed on calling it, and past the training rooms, you would soon run into Axius' botanical wonder.

In the center was a great water hole about 20 feet deep filled with three different lilies, seven different types of flowers and several of the more friendly local aquatic animals. Behind the water hole stood three massive stones, almost like obelisks, and around those was a small sand pit, about 5 foot by 8 foot, used for meditation or to simply admire the room. The room itself was quite large and with a hole cut out of the ceiling by Kyle, there was plenty of sunlight and a good bit of rain when it stormed to go around. Other that the occasional insects here and there and of course the plants the room was almost always void of life. Truth be told, it wasn't much, but Axius had worked hard to get done what he had and he was no where close to being finished.

Meet me in the main chamber.

Spinning around, tendrils flying about his face, Axius stood up smiling. Hopefully today wouldn't be more chores, not that Axius minded, but maybe; just maybe, today would be the day he started his training. Jumping up and dusting himself off, Axius started off towards the main chamber. Once there, he looked straight at Kyle expectantly, black eyes racing with excitement and said, "You called?"

[Kyle Krogen]

Kyle waved his hand to a spot on the floor before him, "Please be seated," He said and then waited for the eager young alien to sit down. He took a deep breath and calmed his nerves. This was his first time teaching another force user, "Tell me, Axius," He began, "How much do you know about the force?" This would be a test like any other. Kyle held the answers and the attached questions. Axius had nothing save that contained within his brain. His answers would not be influenced by Kyle, not yet. Kyle first needed to know where Axius stood on the matter of the force. Only then could Axius' beginning notions be corrected and training begin. Training would form Axius into the Jedi he desired to be. Yet in the end it would be up to Axius as to what kind of Jedi he became. Kyle was there to show him the path, Axius would still have to choose how to walk it.

[Axius Keldara]

Entering, Axius walked over to where Kyle had pointed and knelt down. In doing so, his long green tendrils fell into his face and with a sigh of annoyance; he pulled out a brown ribbon from his pocket and reaching back behind his head, tied them all together. With a grin of satisfaction stretching across his face, Ax's mind was now on the task at hand.

"To be honest, I really don't know much other then that the Force is in everything. In short, it makes the world go round. Knowledge of the Force is a very difficult thing to come across now-a-days, but I've managed a few facts here and there. I know, with enough training one can become one with the Force and use it for whatever purpose he or she see fit, whether it be good or evil. I know that there is a light and dark side, the Jedi and the Sith, and somewhere down the line in my family is Jedi Master Kit Fisto." That last part made Ax smile for a moment. He liked talking about that part of his families history although a lot of his family were too scared to admit it, he was proud of it. Jedi worked long and hard to create a galaxy of peace and justice and it was a shame that their flame was snuffed out so viciously. "That's really about it. Like I said, it was hard to come across and information pertaining to the Jedi or even the Sith for that matter, so I guess what I know you could consider the basics of basic."

[Kyle Krogen]

"You are for the most part correct. The force is everything, but more specifically it is an energy source that connects all livings things together, gives us life, and, in some cases, directs our destinies. Force Adepts are those who had a natural connection to the force, a strong connection, that allows us to tap into it's neverending river of energy and use it for a number of things, some of which you may be aware of and others you are likely to have never heard of. My master, Nathan De'Gad, taught me many things, but he was very limited in knowledge. For this same reason I am also limited, if not more so. I can teach you what I know, but beyond that will remain unknown to you and to me. But enough of that. The way of the jedi is about peace, you must realize this Axius, for it is most vital. The Jedi were all about peace and the process of creating and maintaining it. The Jedi were not just negotiators but warriors as well. They faught for peace and for nothing else. When they fought in the Clone Wars it was to end the war and reinstall peace again. Sadly they were never able to achieve that goal when they were gunned down by the very soldiers they faught alongside. But even since then the Jedi have faught for peace. They are often caught and killed despite their valiant efforts to make our galaxy better off then it was the day before. Now we are few and more hunted then ever. If you were to step out into the world and openly declare yourself a Jedi you would get two results. Some would adore and worship you while others would point fingers and blasters. Thus we are forced to work in secret, but that does not mean we are any less the protectors of peace, the defenders of the weak, and the guardians of the force itself. We are the jedi, and no amount of bloodshed can ever take that away from us. Remember to base your actions on peace and to think about peace when enacting those actions. If you use your powers out of hate or anger or anything that is unjust and evil you will fall to what is called the Darkside of the force. The darkside is still the same force, but it is a different aspect of the force. It is evil and dark and thrives off of destruction and anger. For this reason the old Jedi Order denied it's jedi to be emotional, in risk of them being moved to anger and falling to the darkside. I find that old practice flawed, as many of histories strongest dark jedi were jedi so denied of their emotions that once they finally came the jedi was unable to contain them. Emotion is not a bad thing, it's what you do with it and your intentions that make it bad. I am angry all the time, at the Empire and at a lot of other things. I keep myself from falling to the darkside by not acting on my anger, by not going out and slaughtering Imperials like I know by mind would like to. Does this all make sense to you, Axius?"

[Axius Keldara]

Axius sat and listened and took in every single work Kyle was saying. Finally, he was being taught something other then how to clean, not that cleaning was a bad thing, it was quiet necessary here. This place was once use to house who knows how many people, but not it lay in ruins and if they were to achieve their goal of turning this place into a small Jedi Academy, then things had to fixed up and moved around.

"Does this all make sense to you, Axius?" Kyle asked.

"Yes and no Master. I understand that we are the defenders of Peace and that we should use our gifts to aid those in need and I also understand about falling to the darkside, but what I don't understand is why you think the old ways are flawed by allowing no emotion. Emotion can be a bad thing, and I disagree with what you said about 'what you do with it and your intentions' that make it bad. I have seen many men and women, for that matter, both become so obsessed with their emotions that it drove them to do horrible things. The way I see it is, that no matter how you intend to use your emotions, in the long run, you will eventually fall and give in to their calling, falling to the darkside." Axius paused for a moment to catch his breath and to calm himself down. He was a little nerve racked right now because if felt like he was doing something wrong by expressing his views on the matter. He could only hope Kyle was not taking them that way, but instead seeing them for what the were, his opinion.

"Please excuse me Master if I have over stepped by boundaries by expressing my opinion, I'm sure you know what you are talking about more then I do."

[Kyle Krogen]

Kyle shook his head slowly, "No. You have done nothing wrong. If I have realized one thing in my life, it is that everyone is allowed a different outlook on life, and the force as well. I can only express my views on the matter, you must create your own. But you are right to challenge me. How strong can my faith be if it is not challanged? My reason for declaring the old ways flawed is because without emotion we become little more then droids. Emotion is what makes us human, allows us to sympathize with others, feel for others, and understand how other's feel. True, it keeps us from becoming angry and hateful and falling to the darkside, but we lose so much more. I do not believe the pros outweigh the cons, if you know what I mean. How can we, as Jedi, help another if we are so emotionally detached that we cannot understand their perils from any viewpoint other than logical. Logical cannot explain everything. I also believe it was this emotional detachment that blinded the Jedi from seeing the coming of the sith and their downfall. They failed to notice that a sith sat at the head of the galaxy, they failed to see the emotional break-down of their fellow jedi that turned to the darkside, and they failed to see the coming of the Empire. The simple fact that the old ways failed the Jedi of the Old Republic is enough to condemn it as flawed."

For what it was worth, Kyle was enjoying this conversation. He enjoyed debating the force, talking about it, discovering it with others. He had spent too much time without another force user to talk to. He had a lot to catch up with.

[Axius Keldara]

[OOC: So...howdy. If its cool with you I'd like to try and finish this thread. I'm done with school so I should have WAY more time to start posting again. If not, its cool. I'm not even sure if this thread is still active but if it is and your up to it, lets try and finish it.]

"Interesting perspective Master and I can see where you are coming from. You suggest that we not give into our emotions, but instead, see that they are there and there for a reason, not to rule them out, but to understand their importance. They make us human, as you say, or alien..." Axius said with a wide grin, "and in that we ourselves are defined. Correct?"

Growing up, Axius never really had the time nor the interest to discuss philosophy or debate politics, but he did know that without either not much would be accomplished. It was all so new to him...and to be honest, it was a nice change.

"I don't pretend to know a lot about life. I myself have not seen or experienced much as I'm sure you have. All I know is what I have felt and that use to suffice me, but now this brand new world has been shown to me and I'm so eager to understand it and embrace it, but I'm afraid that if I run too fast into all this, I'm going to miss something. Was it the same way for you when you first discovered your talents? When you first found your connection to the Force?"

[Kyle Krogen]

"Exactly. Emotion is why defines us, gives color to our existence, and allows us to enjoy what we do. Without emotion we could never appreciate what we do, the upholding of truth and justice, the protection of the innocent, et cetera. But I do believe that there is a place we should limit ourselves. We cannot completely surrender ourselves to our emotions, to do so is to invite the darkside. This is something I have encountered, and I am more then scarred because of it," his right hand crossed to massage the white scars that crisscrossed up his left arm from fingers to elbow, like bolts of lightning frozen in his flesh. "There was a time when I surrendered myself to my emotions, living my live as I believed I should, and it took years of forsaken my vows before I could. While I never fell completely to the darkside, I came dangerously close to it many times, and I was rewarded in kind for my sin. If not for the emergence of you and the other hopefuls, I would likely still be out there, a victim of emotional tragedy. But I found the emotional balance I needed, that perfect place between no emotion and too much emotion. And I am enlightened by it."

He smiled, "When I first learned of my powers, I wanted to learn as much as I could as quickly as I could. I was the hyperactive overachiever, always eager to get my lessons done and over, so I could move on to learn more. Now I wish I had spent more time with my master, learning patience and balance, rather then a mastery of force abilities. I learned the how, but not the why. I had to piece together my own philosophy after my master died, because I never paid attention when he spoke of his own. But the past is past.

Tell me, Axius, have you ever used the Force in any way? Moving objects with your mind, premonitions, strange feelings, anything?"

[Axius Keldara]

"The past is the past...I agree. Um, but to answer your question; yes I have. I had noticed when I was younger, that when I would become mad or upset, strange things would happen. For example: objects would lift off the ground or I would hear things; such as my parent’s thoughts or what I assumed that it was their thoughts. At first I tried not to pay attention to it. Thinking that it was just some random act of the universe because as I'm sure you are aware of, coming across ‘creditable’ information regarding the Jedi and their abilities or anything for that matter, is extremely rare. So I did what any other kid would do, ignored it and when it did happen, I kept it to myself."

[Kyle Krogen]

"This is typical behavior of a force adept, although your powers appear to have been more manifested at a younger age. Most just experience heightened reflexes and the occasional bout with telekinetics, the ability to move objects with one's mind. I am curious, though, as to how much development your brain achieved during this spurts of random force energy you've experienced in your life."

Kyle waved his hand toward the corner of the room, and several rocks of varying size floated over as if held by invisible hands, only to be set down between the two jedi. "We'll start small, as always." He selected the smallest rock, which could only be called a rock because it was slightly bigger then a pebble. Kyle caused it to float up into the air and hover just above his palm as if by magic. Then he set it down and used a finger to slide it across the ground toward Ax. "Lift it with your mind."

He did not say "try", he said to do it. Do or do not, there is no try. He had heard that before, but the author was as unknown to him as the ingredients used in Jawa Juice.

[Axius Keldara]

"Uh..I think I might have over exaggerated a bit. I mean, I never really had control over this sort of stuff. I mean, it just happened!" Ax was feeling more then a little apprehensive about the whole thing. He never was able to control his powers. They just sort of happened. "I don't think I can. I don't even understand how this all works? Just focus on the rock? Do I think it to move? Do I tell it to move? Do I ask it to move? Where do I begin?

Its not that Ax didn’t want to do as Kyle had instructed. He genuinely didn’t know where to start and this instilled a sense of failure in him like that he had never really faced before. To have this power was such a huge deal and it was so scary at times. The doubt was already sitting beginning to sit in and weight heavily on Ax. What would happen in the Imperials found this place? What would happen to Bandage? To Kyle? Or worse, me?